Join MPV as chapters hosts our Very Muslimy Christmas
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The Oldest Progressive Muslim Organization in America

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Let Us Try

The end of the year is drawing closer, which means the Christmas
season is upon. In that spirit, a few MPV chapters will be
hosting our unique Very Muslimy Christmas parties in New York,
Boston, and Los Angeles. For details check out the respective
city activities.

And there is no escaping, the end of the year is also when
non-profit organizations make an appeal for donations. I hope you
will consider giving to MPV generously. I’ve created a short
video to tell you why donating is worthwhile. Please watch
below!

( [link removed] )

On November 18-19 I had the privilege of attending the Istanbul
Process in The Hague. There, I chaired a break-out session
“Preventing negative stereotyping and discrimination,” a
well-casted role for me, given that MPV is founded on inclusive
and non-discriminatory, critical thinking and human rights. We
discussed solutions from various participants made up of
local-level actors, religious leaders, and government
representatives.

The take-away for me from this panel was: there is no shortage of
solutions and ideas out there, but we have a deficit of political
and moral will. This was evident when a Dutch-Moroccan producer
shared that it took her eight long years to get her TV series on
national TV in The Netherlands. The funny and heart-warming TV
series she produced was about five elderly Moroccan women
experiencing “Dutch” activities for the first time, despite
having lived there for decades, humanizing Muslim immigrants
before Dutch audiences. Numerous reports, including those
published from the U.N., conclude that the media plays an
influential role in how groups of people are portrayed. Here is a
classic example of the hurdles minority groups face.

In the concluding plenary session, things got rather
“un-diplomatic” when a Chinese diplomat responded to me with “you
shouldn’t bother responding to on-line threats.” I rebutted
strongly, saying “propaganda becomes truth when not refuted.”
(You can draw your own conclusions as to what I was implying.)
The room got heated when an OIC spokesman stated: “we the OIC
represent all Muslims” to which a Muslim woman dismissed the
remark with “no, OIC absolutely does not represent all Muslims”
in a room made of mostly non-Muslim policymakers.

This is what happens when you give progressive Muslim women the
microphone. We will tell you the truth. Thank you to the Foreign
Ministry of the Kingdom of the Netherlands for inviting the most
diverse group of people to the Istanbul Process.

Most importantly, to take this conversation of hate speech, the
implementation of the Istanbul Process to the community level, I
am very happy to announce that the Alliance of Inclusive Muslims
( [link removed] ), a human rights umbrella organization,
will be hosting a conference “Charting a course for freedom of
religion and belief in Muslim societies” in March 2020.

Given all that we do for the good of humanity . . . don’t forget,
donate!

Wishing everyone a Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukkah, Happy
Kwanzaa, Seasons Greetings and may your 2020 be blessed with
health and happiness.

Onward and upward…

Ani Zonneveld
Founder, President
Muslims for Progressive Values

In This Issue:
* President's Letter
* U.N. Update
* National Update
* Chapter Updates
* MPV in the News

Quick links:
MPV Website ( [link removed] )
About MPV ( [link removed] )
Our Communities ( [link removed] )
#ImamsForShe ( [link removed] )
Donate to MPV ( [link removed] )

U.N. Update

November 13: Ani Zonneveld had the privilege of performing a
song, “Let Me Try” at the “4 Corners of Expression” event
organized by the Permanent Mission of the Kingdom of the
Netherlands, drawing attention to human rights and humanitarian
issues in an artistic way. You can watch the music video here ( [link removed] ).

National Update

At Celebration of Life in DC, we honored Bochra Bel Haj Hmdia of
Tunisia, the chairwoman of the COLIBE commission, which
recommended equal inheritance between women and men,
decriminalization of homosexuality and abolishment of capital
punishment. Fitting of such a vision for the Muslim world, we
thanked Madame Bochra for her work by awarding the Fatima
al-Fihri Visionary Award. During the evening, it was wonderful to
play host to Tunisian Ambassador Faysal Gouia.
*Fatima al-Fihri was an Arab woman who is credited with founding
the oldest existing, continually operating and first
degree-awarding educational institution in the world, The
University of Al Qarawiyyin in Fez, Morocco in 859 CE. Al-Fihri
was born around 800 AD in the town of Kairouan, in present-day
Tunisia.

Chapter Updates

MPV-New York

November 15: MPV-NY partnered with Congregation Beit Simchat
Torah (CBST) to present an interfaith worship, social, and
scriptural study program. The sold-out event gave participants an
opportunity to join members of MPV-NY, CBST, Metropolitan
Community Church and Marble Collegiate Church in a Jum’a and
Shabbat Service, Potluck Dinner and Roundtable Discussion. The
Roundtable Discussion allowed for participants to review
and reflect on three various verses on the topic of neighbors
from the Hebrew Bible, the New Testament, and the Quran.

December 6: MPV-NY is hosting “A Very Muslimy Christmas” which
will be a fun and festive “Muslimy” evening! There will be food,
interactive games and trivia, karaoke, Ugly Christmas Sweater
competition, and raffles. MPV founder, Ani Zonneveld will be
joining the NY community in all the revelry! Funds will be raised
for MPV-NY community's next great journey! To register to attend,
please sign up through theEventCombo registration page ( [link removed] ).

MPV-L.A.

December 3: “Hala” screening and reception. One of the privilege
of being members of the MPV community is the many invitations to
special entertainments screenings and receptions. “Hala” is
written and directed by Minhal Baig and produced by Jada Pinkett
Smith. "Hala" was an official selection of the 2019 Sundance Film
Festival and 2019 Toronto International Film Festival. Please
register click here ( [link removed] ).

December 8: Movie screening: "A History of God." For details and
to RSVP, click here ( [link removed] )

December 14: MPV’s "Very Muslimy Christmas Party at Ani's!" For
details and to RSVP, click here ( [link removed] ).

December 15: Progressive Quran reading group hosted by Adnan
Majid from 2:00 - 4:00 p.m. The Quran is the central text of
Muslim religious tradition, and is deeply poetic and beautiful.
Yet it has been, and continues to be, used to justify oppression
like misogyny and violence. Approaching the text can be
difficult, but it's crucial for us, as progressive Muslims, to
reclaim our heritage. Let's get together to struggle with,
connect to, and grow from the Quran while exploring
contextualist/progressive approaches to the text. For details and
to RSVP, click here ( [link removed] ).

MPV-Boston

December 6: MPV-Boston will be holding a holiday party, “Muslims
for Christmas,” welcoming of interfaith families and members of
the Community Church of Boston. Participants will discuss the
birth of Prophet Jesus and its importance from a progressive
Islamic perspective, and will make "blessing bags" with socks,
gloves and other warm items for people who are homeless this
winter. RSVP here ( [link removed] ).

December 7: MPV-Boston will meet on Boston Common to give out
coffee, muffins, smiles, and blessing bags to people who are
living on the streets. RSVP here ( [link removed] ).

MPV-DC

November 22: MPV-DC hosted the Celebration of Life award dinner
at the Human Rights Campaign to honor human rights defenders from
around the world. The Fatima Al-Fihri Visionary Award recipient
was Bochra Belhaj Hmida who has fought for equality for women and
the LGBTQ community in Tunisia. Most recently, Bochra helped
introduce legislation to equalize inheritance amongst men and
women in Tunisia.

In December, MPV-DC will once again partner with other local
organizations to partake in a Christmas visit to a local senior
home. For details please visit our Meetup.com ( [link removed] ) page.

MPV-San Francisco

November 8: MPV-San Francisco had its monthly meeting and hosted
counseling interns from a local college who were interested in
cross cultural and interfaith therapy. There was extensive
discussion on the intersection of culture, religious traditions
and therapeutic practice.

December 13: MPV-San Francisco will have the Second Friday Jum’a
and and planning meeting at 7:00 p.m. in downtown San Francisco.
Address and RSVP here ( [link removed] ).

MPV in the News

Featured interview with Ani Zonneveld | "I am intolerant of
intolerance" ( [link removed] )
News item | November 28, 2019

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